Tsunamis of drugs have rolled into and around Maryland since the 1960s. As a retired detective, I worked the trenches of our drug war. Polls show 80 percent of the people recognize the total failure of policy. Indeed, the police are a mosquito on the butt of an elephant. We have never, ever been able to make more than a dent in drug availability. Attorney General Brian Frosh needs to come clean to Maryland residents and admit that heroin prohibition is more the cause of deaths than a way to reduce them ("Maryland joins multistate task force to combat heroin," Feb. 12). Howard J. Wooldridge, Buckeystown The writer, a retired police detective, is co-founder of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition. [end]
Speaking as a retired detective, I heartily agree with Dan Rodricks' observation that Maryland police officers want - a little too much - to maintain marijuana prohibition ("The social fears behind the pot wars," Feb. 27). Based on my 17 years of involvement in reform, the last eight on Capitol Hill as a lobbyist and advocate, my profession has three reasons to keep marijuana illegal: money, money and emotion. Police make lots of money in the easy overtime for the minor bust and drug squads and receive lots of "free" money from the federal and state governments to chase a green plant. Civil asset forfeiture is an important and growing factor in police budgets. Drug cases actually bring money into the department, whereas arresting a pedophile is a drain on the budget. [continues 67 words]
As a retired detective, I support moving simple possession of marijuana down to a parking ticket-level offense ("Zirkin, Kittleman propose decriminalizing marijuana Jan. 21). My active-duty colleagues will have more time for pedophiles, the deadly drunk driver and other public safety threats. Most police officers did not sign on for the job to chase a green plant. Howard J. Wooldridge, Adamstown *End* [end]
As a retired police detective, I certainly agree with Richard Moter's thoughtful letter ["Legalization of marijuana is no joke," Feb. 12]. Every hour we chase the Michael Phelpses and the Willie Nelsons of the Commonwealth, we have less time for the deadly reckless and DUI drivers, and less time for catching child molesters and other public safety threats. My profession needs to return to its original purpose: public safety. If you have a problem with marijuana, alcohol, or cigarettes, see a doctor for treatment. The Thin Blue Line has much more important tasks. Howard Wooldridge Washington [end]
As a student of history, I know that the arrest and incarceration of Miguel Caro-Quintero simply opened a job opportunity which has already been filled. The criminal justice system will grind away and eventually catch his replacement. The Post will have another big headline and law enforcement will crow about catching another big fish. See me snoozing here. We have seen these headlines for forty years! The real victim here is the taxpayer who will chunk out 17 years times $35,000 to keep Caro-Quintero locked up. If Colorado really want to punish drug dealers and watch them cry, legalize, regulate and tax marijuana. Howard Wooldridge, Golden [end]
Regarding "Group seeks drug legalization in Oklahoma" (news feature, June 15): From my perspective of 18 years a police officer (now retired), I know that drug prohibition decreases public safety and increases crime. As a detective, 70 percent of my felony caseload was associated with drug prohibition. Legal cocaine that would cost $2 to $3 per day for an addict now costs $200 a day. Thus, an addict must break into your home or steal your car or identity to pay for it. When a drug dealer shoots another dealer, the police have less time to find rapists. At the federal level, drug prohibition provides the majority of the money used by Islamic terrorists. Our modern form of prohibition is funding our mortal enemies. Mark Woodward of the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs seems ready to go back to the days of alcohol prohibition. Great: a moonshine still next to every meth lab! Howard Wooldridge, Dallas, Texas [end]
Re: Victoria's top cop vows to catch drug dealers (News, May 22) With all due respect to my colleague, Chief Jamie Graham, he knows it is not drugs and violence that go together, rather drug trade and violence. We know that every drug dealer ever arrested or shot is replaced very quickly. The only net effect of a drug bust is the taxpayers must build another prison bed. The only thing that strikes terror into the hearts of drug dealers is one word: legalization. Howard J. Wooldridge Law Enforcement Against Prohibition Washington, D.C. [end]
As a retired Michigan street cop, I can add only one element to Rhonda Swan's excellent analysis of marijuana prohibition; namely that public safety is reduced because of the prohibition. My profession spends literally millions of hours chasing the Michael Phelpses of the world and their suppliers. Every such hour spent means less time for the deadly DUI, the rapist, the child molester, the people flying airplanes into buildings. Moreover, I know that the state, through its police force, cannot stop personal stupidity done in the privacy of one's home. Only family and friends can stop such behavior. My profession must return to its original task: public safety. HOWARD WOOLDRIDGE, education specialist Law Enforcement Against Prohibition Washington [end]
Drug Enforcement Administration spokesman Garrison Courtney said the arrest of 755 people last week made a "dent" in the drug trade ("100,000 foot soldiers in cartels," Page 1, Tuesday). As a Michigan police officer for 18 years, I too made a "dent" from time to time. Of course, all of us in law enforcement know that the dent is repaired within a few days as new drug dealers and mules take the place of those arrested or shot. This process has been going on for about 40 years. [continues 114 words]
As a retired police detective and student of history, I believe the only way to "clean up" Orchard Mews of the violence associated with the drug trade is to end the prohibition of drugs ("Two sides of the street, but one problem bedeviling both," Jan. 25). After 40 years of drug war, we still have large parts of Baltimore and many other major cities in America that are more dangerous than the streets in Iraq. This madness of prohibition has not produced one positive outcome. So why are we still on this failed road? Howard Wooldridge Frederick The writer is a retired police officer and an education specialist for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition [end]
The meth lab is the moonshine still of the 21st century. If we allowed adult citizens of Wyoming access to the same amphetamines that we give to Air Force pilots to fly long missions, Wyoming would no longer have a meth problem. The solution to meth and meth labs has been in front of you the whole time. Meth dealers only fear one change: legalization of amphetamines. Amphetamines are a powerful drug. Just ask Elvis when you get to heaven. Legalization and regulation will eliminate the crime, violence and environmental damage caused by its prohibition. Howard J. Woldridge, Louisville, Colo. [end]
To the editor: As a Michigan police officer for 18 years, I was sent to zero calls for service generated by the use of marijuana. While Mr. Lehman throws out a stat that shows 20 percent of Woodland's patients have an issue with marijuana, what he did not tell you is that courts give people a choice: jail or treatment. Of course, they all choose treatment, whether they abuse marijuana or not. Moreover, Mr. Lehman's claim that pot use will go up because it is available for patients is false. [continues 81 words]
The meth lab is the moonshine still of the 21st Century. If we allowed adult citizens of Mississippi access to the same amphetamines that we give to Air Force pilots to fly long missions, Mississippi would no longer have a meth problem. The solution to meth and meth labs has been in front of you the whole time. The war on drugs is the most destructive, dysfunctional and immoral domestic policy since slavery and Jim Crow. Drug dealers only fear one thing: legalization. Howard J. Wooldridge Education specialist Law Enforcement Against Prohibition Washington, D.C. [end]
I learned something about how drug prohibition generates crime during my 18 years of police service. Eighty percent of my property-crime case load was caused by addicts needing money to pay sky-high prices for crack, etc. Legal crack would cost an addict about a dollar per day, as would heroin and amphetamines. Ronald Shafer (Letters, Dec. 30) worries about what drug dealers would do without their prohibition-generated jobs. The one million teens who sell drugs would begin flipping burgers and mowing yards. Serious thugs will rob banks where we will capture or kill them. Or was Mr. Shafer suggesting to continue prohibition as a jobs program for bad guys? Howard J. Wooldridge Education Specialist Law Enforcement Against Prohibition Washington [end]
As a police officer who worked the trenches of the drug war, I learned that every drug dealer arrested or shot was quickly replaced. Your newspaper trumpets the news that five meth labs were taken down. So what? They will be quickly replaced either in North Carolina or Mexico. Sure you feel good, but the problem comes back like the tide. To rid America of the scourge of drug dealers, we must be as wise and courageous as our grandparents; end prohibition, legalize, regulate and tax these drugs just like we do alcohol and cigarettes. Do you want to feel good for a day or solve your crime and violence problem? Howard J. Wooldridge education specialist, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition Washington [end]
As a retired police officer, I understand where my colleague, DEA agent Dunlap (Dec. 20 guest opinion), is coming from regarding marijuana prohibition. I enforced the 55 mph speed limit my entire 18-year career. It was a bad law and generated huge amounts of disrespect for law, as tens of millions of citizens circumvented the law by buying radar detectors. Marijuana prohibition is quite similar; 100 million have smoked it, though none has died as a result. DEA Dunlap defends prohibition because it is his paycheck on the line. Without the prohibition of drugs, he is on the street looking for a job in a bad economy. He knows that tobacco and alcohol will kill at a roughly 40-to-1 ratio vs. illegal drugs. How dangerous a drug can be has never been the issue. Follow the money. Officer Howard J. Wooldridge (retired) education specialist, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition Washington, D.C. [end]
(Regarding "Cocaine threat growing; Heroin also major problem here, authorities say," The Tribune-Democrat, Dec. 21:) During my 18 years of police service, I learned that the use of alcohol was the No. 1 cause of police calls. With all due respect to my colleague, (Somerset County Drug Task Force coordinator) Detective Jason Hunter, the use of heroin never generated a police call for service. He was probably referring to the need for heroin addicts to steal, because instead of paying a dollar per day for heroin, addicts need a hundred times that. [continues 71 words]
As a retired police detective, I am only too aware of the ways Ronald Fraser's observations ring true ("Getting paid with raids," Commentary, Dec. 10). Civil asset forfeiture has corrupted my profession. Hundreds of cases of this kind of corruption come to light every year, and they are generated by our dysfunctional and immoral drug war. It should be pointed out that prosecutors' offices also often profit from such forfeitures. Everyone wants this "free" money. Will it take a depression to force us to abandon the modern form of prohibition that is the war on drugs? Howard J. Wooldridge Frederick The writer is an education specialist for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition. [end]
As a retired police officer who worked the trenches of the drug war spanning three decades, I heartily agree with Ethan Nadelmann's call to end all drug prohibition. A world without drug dealers and their violence means my colleagues will have more time for the deadly DUI, child molesters and other public-safety threats. Moreover, the state via its police department cannot stop personal stupidity. It is past time for the police to again focus on public safety. Your personal safety is an issue for family and friends. Howard J. Wooldridge The writer is an education specialist with Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP.cc). [end]
As a police officer who worked the trenches of the drug war spanning three decades, I heartily agree with views of Edmund Carpenter ("Deadly war against drugs isn't worth the human cost," Dec. 14). We know (but don't tell the public) that every drug dealer arrested or shot is quickly replaced. The only way to achieve a country without drug dealers is to handle these drugs like we do alcohol and cigarettes. Howard J. Wooldridge Frederick, Md. [end]
